Aluterus is a genus of filefishes. This genus is larger-bodied than many other monacanthids, with Aluterus scriptus being the largest filefish species, reaching in total length.
The ability of Aluterus to rapidly change color has often been observed, which primarily thought to be for camouflage. This ability has not yet been studied scientifically.
Taxonomy There are currently 4 recognized extant species in this genus:Matsuura, K. (2014): Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyological Research, 62 (1): 72-113. +SpeciesCommon nameImageAluterus heudelotii Hollard, 1855Dotterel filefishAluterus monoceros Linnaeus, 1758Unicorn leatherjacket filefishAluterus schoepfii Walbaum, 1792Orange filefishAluterus scriptus Osbeck, 1765Scribbled leatherjacket filefish
The fossil species Aluterus shigensis Miyajima, Koike & Matsuoka, 2014 is known from the Middle Miocene of Nagano, Japan.
The following cladogram is based on a 2016 molecular study of filefish and triggerfish (Balistidae):
References